Death anxiety in the time of COVID-19: theoretical explanations and clinical implications

Rachel E Menzies,Ross G Menzies

doi:10.1017/s1754470x20000215

Abstract

(1)To understand terror management theory and its theoretical explanation of death anxiety in the context of COVID-19.(2)To understand the transdiagnostic role of death anxiety in mental health disorders.(3)To understand current treatment approaches for directly targeting death anxiety, and the importance of doing so to improve long-term treatment outcomes.

Highlights

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China
The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between death anxiety and anxious beliefs and behaviours related to COVID-19, in addition to self-reported health anxiety, and overall psychological distress
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused an understandable surge in anxiety across the globe

Summary

Introduction

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China. Awareness of death may produce a powerful sense of fear or meaninglessness, and may drive a number of maladaptive coping behaviours (Menzies, 2012). TMT posits that our awareness of our own death produces a crippling terror, and that humans have developed two distinct buffers in order to allay this fear: cultural worldviews, and self-esteem.

Results

Conclusion